Folding chair



Sept. 15, 1953 Filed Aug. 25, 1951 w. E. NORDMARK 2,652,098

FOLDING CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR %ll-er 1'3. Nordmarli ATTORNEY INVENTOR ATTORNEY P 1953 w. E. NORDMARK FOLDING CHAIR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 25, 1951 Patented Sept. 15, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE FOLDING CHAIR Walter E. Nordmark, Grand Rapids, Mich., as-

signor to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of New Jersey 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to folding chairs.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide an improved Y-type folding chair of tubular metal frame construction; to provide such a folding chair which is rugged and sturdy in construction and noiseless in its folding and unfolding movements; to provide such a folding chair having a full back, i. e. a back which extends downwardly to the approximate level of the seat, thus to afford full back support for an 1 occupant of the chair; and in general to provide such a chair which is comfortable for the user, attractive in appearance, and reasnably economical in manufacture.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the new folding chair in its unfolded position of use;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the chair in a folded condition for storage;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of parts of the chair in their unfolded positions, including the pivotal connections between the frame, the seat and the back;

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the same with the parts here shown in their folded positions;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the same, taken on line i-6 of Figure 4; and

Figure '7 is a vertical sectional View of parts thereof taken on line l'l of Figure 6.

Referring now in detail to these drawings wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals in the several views, the folding chair there shown is constructed on a tubular metal frame comprising spaced apart rear legs it, and front legs I i which are pivotally connected at 12 to the upper ends of the rear legs i and which front legs extend rearwardly and upwardly from the upper ends of the rear legs in a gracefully curved manner. The rear legs l0 are rigidly connected by a rod or strut i3 secured thereto as by welding. The front legs I! are rigidly connected by a similar lower rod or strut l4 and also by a similar upper rod or strut t the latter of which serves additional purposes hereinafter described. As shown the outer ends of the rod [5 pass through the front legs i2 and are spun over to secure them to the frame.

The chair back It is of full length and is preferably made of plywood, To each opposite side of the chair back is secured, as by means of rivets, a bracket ll by means of which the chair back is pivotally secured at IE to the upper rearward ends of the front legs H of the chair.

The chair seat [9, which is likewise preferably made of plywood, is provided with a pair of seat arms 20 secured to the underside of the seat at opposite sides thereof, as by means of rivets 21 passing through the seat and through the horizontal flanges of the seat arms. The vertical flanges of the seat arms 20 extend rearwardly of the seat and are pivotally connected at 22 to the lower ends of brackets 23 which are secured as by means of rivets to the lower corners of the chair back Hi. The chair seat is thereby pivotally connected at its rear to the lower end of the chair back, the seat being thus supported in the rear, and the forward part of the seat is supported in the unfolded position of the chair by the strut I5 on which rest the seat arms 20.

Linkage is provided by means of which the front and rear legs of the chair are drawn together or forced apart during the folding and unfolding operations, such operations being effected by moving the forward edge of the chair seat [9 toward or away from the upper edge of the chair back I6. This linkage comprises rear links 24 which have their rearward ends pivotal- 1y connected at 25 to the rear legs IE! and which have their forward ends pivotally connected at 25 to the vertical flanges of the seat arms 2%, and front links 2'! which have their rearward ends pivotally connected to the links 24 and the seat arms 20 at their pivotal connections 25 and which front links have their forward ends pivotally connected to the strut [5 which connects the front legs H of the chair. The pivotal connections of the front and rear links to the front and rear legs of the chair are below the seat level and are thus out of the way of the chair occupants clothing.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides an attractive, efficient and comfortable folding chair which is of simple and sturdy construction, and while but one specific embodiment of the chair has been herein shown and. described, it will be understood that numerous details of construction may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as the same is defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a folding chair: a pair of spaced apart rear legs; a pair of front legs pivotally con nected to the upper ends of the rear legs extending thereabove; a chair back pivotally connected at its opposite sides to the upper ends of the front legs; a chair seat pivotally connected in the rear to the lower end of the chair back; rear links having their rearward ends pivotally connected to the rear legs and having their forward ends pivotally connected to the seat; front links having their rearward ends pivotally connected to the rear links and the seat at their pivotal connections, and having their forward ends pivotally connected to the front legs; and stop means on the front legs for supporting the forward part of the seat in the unfolded position of the chair.

2. In a folding chair: a pair of spaced apart rear legs; a pair of front legs pivotallyconnected to the upper ends of the rear legs and extending thereabove; a chair back pivotally connected at its opposite sides to the upper 'ends of the front legs; a chair seat pivotally connected in the rear to the lower end of the chair back; rear links having their rearward ends pivotally connected to the rear legs and having their forward ends pivotally connected to the seat; front 3. In a folding chair: a pair of spaced apart rear legs; apair of front vlegs pivotally connected to the upper ends of the rear legs and extending thereabove; a chair back pivotally connected at its opposite sides to the upper ends of the front legs; a chair seat pivotally connected in the rear to the lower end of the chair back; rear links having their rearward ends pivotally connected to the rear legs below the seat level :and having their forward ends pivotally connected to the seat; front links :having their rearward ends pivotally connected to the rear links and the seat at their pivotal connections, and having their forward ends pivotally connected to the front legs below the seat level; and stop means on "the front legs for supporting the "forward part of the seat in the unfolded position of the chair.

4. In a folding chair: a pair of spaced apart rear legs; a pair of front legs pivotally connected to the upper ends of the rear legs and extending rearwardly and upwardly therefrom; a chair back pivotally connected at its opposite sides to the upper rearward ends of the front legs; a chair seat pivotally connected in the rear to the lower end of the chair back; rear links having their rearward ends pivotally connected to the rear legs and having their forward ends pivotally connected to the seat; front links having their rearward ends pivotally connected to the rear links and the seat at their pivotal connections, and having their forward ends pivotally connected to the front legs; and stop means on the front legs for supporting the forward part of the seat in the unfolded position of the chair.

5. In a folding chair: a pair of spaced apart rear legs; a pair of front legs pivotally connected to the upper ends of the rear legs and extending rearwardly and upwardly therefrom; a chair back pivotally connected at its opposite sides to the upper rearward ends of the front legs; a chair seat pivotally connected in the rear to the lower end of the chair back; rear links having their rearward ends pivotally connected to the rear legs below the seat level and having their forward ends pivotally connected to the seat; front links having their rearward ends pivotally connected to the rear links and the seat at their pivotal connections, and having their forward ends pivotally connected to the front legs below the seat level; and a bar connecting the front legs and adapted to support the forward part of the seat in the unfolded position of the chair.

WALTER NORDMARK References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED "STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 606,451 English 1 June 28, 1898 1,218,611 Craig Mar. 6, 1917 1,508,388 Findley Sept. 16, 192d 1,698,698 Hageman Jan. 8, 1929 2,091,660 Boogaard Aug. 31, 1937 

